Switch



Apr. 3, 1923.

H. W. CHENEY SWITCH Filed Sept. 27, 1920 2 sheets-sheet 1 Patented Apr.3, 1923.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT W. CHENEY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO ALLIS-CHALMERSMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF MIIAVAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OFDELAWARE.

SWITCH.

Application filed September 27, 1920. Serial No. 413,086.

T 0 all whom it may GOIIOQTIL-J Be it known that HERBERT CHENEY, acitizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county ofMilwaukee and State of Wisconsin, has invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to switches or controllers and is particularlyapplicable to motor controllers or switches involving two circuitclosing positions, one of which, in motor controllers, is usually astarting position and the other a running position. More particularlythe invention relates to a con troller of the type, generally speaking,disclosed in applicants copending application Serial No. $3 1,887 filedOctober 29, 1919, except that the controller in the present in stance isdesigned for use in handling much larger currents, whereby new problemsarise.

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of a controller inwhich a heavy pressure on the contacts is involved and yet in which theuse of a comparatively small operating magnet is required.

Another object is the provision, in a controller having off, startingand running positions, of means whereby energy is stored in a trippingdevice when the controller is operated from off to starting position.

Another object is the provision in a controller of means for holding thearmature of an under-voltage trip magnet in a position to be held bysaid magnet while the actuating means of the controller is in certainpositions and freeing said armature so that it may effectively operatewhen the actuating means is in running position.

Other objects will appear hereinafter as the description of theinvention proceeds. The novel features of this invention will appearfrom the specification and the accompanying drawings forming a partthereof and disclosing one embodiment of said invention, and all thesenovel features are intended to be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a motor controller of thepotential type, embodying the invention, the casing having been brokenaway to clearly show the parts. The parts of the mechanism in thisfigure ire shown in the off or open circuit posi- Fig. 2 is a detailview of a portion of the actuating mechanism of the controller shown inF g. 1, showing the parts in the starting position.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showmg the parts in the runningposition.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation of a controller such asillustrated in Fig. 1, a longitudinal portion of the casing being brokenaway in this instance.

The controller is provided with movable contacts 1 and stationarycontacts 2, 3, the contacts 2 being in this instance the startmgcontacts and the contacts 3 the running contacts. nism 4 for the movablecontacts is disclosed and claimed in applicants case previously referredto and will therefore not be described in detail here.

The controller is provided with an actuating arm 5 rigidly associatedwith the shaft The immediate operating mecha- 6, which shaft may beswung by means of an operating lever 36 (see Fig. 1). The actuating arm5 is provided with a projection 7 acting as a crank for the connectingrod 8 associated therewith by a pivot 9. The actuating arm 5 is normallybiased to the position illustrated in Fig. 1 by means of a centering doghaving the jaws 10, 11, urged towards each other by means of the spring12. The dog acts upon the pin 13 carried by the actuating arm 5 and alsothe stationary pin 14; carried by anysuitable stationary member, as thehousing of the controller.

The pin 13 also co-operates with the latch 15 loosely pivoted on theshaft 16, the general purpose of this latch being to prevent improperand undesired operation of the controller, this being accomplished ina'manner fully set forth in applicants copending application and formingno part of the present invention.

The pivot 9 is provided with an extension 17 adapted to engage a lever18 rotatable about the shaft 6, when the crank 7 moves in acounter-clockwise direction. The lever 18 is biased in a clockwisedirection by means of the spring 35. The lever 18 has rigidly associatedtherewith, a trip lever 19, the purpose of which will be hereinafterdescribed. The lever 18 is provided with a pin 20, which, when the lever18 is moved in a counter-clockwise direction will be engaged by thelatch 21 loosely mounted on the shaft 16.

The controller is here shown as provided with an under voltage magnet 23having a co-operating armature 22, the latter being rigidly associatedwith the shaft 16. The armature 22 is maintained in the positionillustrated in Fig. 1, that is, in a position where it may be held bythe magnet when the latter is effectively energized, by means of alifting lever 2 1 having the surface 25 here shown as substantiallyconcentric with the shaft 6, and co-operating with the pin 13 on theactuating-arm 5.

A main latch 26, loosely mounted on the shaft 16, is provided forengaging the pin 13 and thus holding the controller in running positionwhen the. parts have the relation illustrated in Fig. 3. In this figureit will be observed that thegpin 13 is underneath a notch 27 in thelifting lever 24, whereby the said lever is free to move in a downwarddirection and it is thus also possible for the armature'22 to drop awayfrom the magnet 23 when the latter is de-energized or the voltage dropsa predetermined amount.

A bu'shing'28 (see Fig. 4) rigidly associated with the shaft 16' isprovided'with a projection 29adapted to engage projection 30 on thelatch 21, sothat when the armature rotates 'in'a counter-clockwisedirection the projection 29 will rotate the latch '21 in the samedirection thus releasing the 'lever 18. This lever is thus free to moveina clockwise directionunde-r the influence of the spring'35, from itsposition shown in Fig. 3=to its position shown inFig. 1. In moving tothe latter position a pin 54 carried by-the trip lever 19 strikes theunder surface of the main latch 26, lifting the sameand releasing thepin 13 so that theoperating arm is free to return to its off position(see Fig. '1) from its running position (Fig.

A spring 31 carried by a projection on the bushing 28 isprovided fornormally maintaining the latch 21 in its engaging position illustratedin Fig. -l. The latch 26 is provided with a projection 32 adapted tolimit the counter-clockwise rotation of said latch to the position shownin Fig. 2, by reason of the engagement of said projection with the flatvertical portion 33 of a. bracket 34. The bracket 34 is here shown asutilized for aiding in the support of the shaft 16.

The operation of the controller is as follows:

Assuming thev parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 1, the operatinghandle 36 may be moved to-swing the actuating arm, 5 in acounter-clockwise direction whereby the operating mechanism 4 will causethe movable contacts 1 to engage the stationary starting contacts 2. Bythe same motion the lever 18, and along with it the trip lever 19, willbe moved in a counter-clockwise direction until the latch 21 engages thepin 20, the parts being then in the position shown in Fig. 2. The pin 54on the trip lever 19 which in Fig. 1 was in a position to raise thelatch 26, having now moved out of engagement with said latch permits itto drop down to the position shown in Fig. 2. If the actuating arm 5 isnow moved quickly in a clockwise direction the mechanism 4. will.operate to move the contacts 1 out of engagement with the contacts 2 andinto engagement with the stationary running contacts 3. \Vhen thisoccurs, pin 13 is in a position to be engaged and held by the latch 26.By reason of the lost motion connection between the actuating arm 5 andthe levers 18, 19, the actuating arm is free to move in the clockwisedirection as stated, leaving the lever 19 held by the latch 21, theparts being then in the position shown in'Fig. Inasmuch as the pin 13 isunderneath'notch 27 in the armature-lifting lever 24t, the armature isfree to drop down, that is, swing in a counter-clockwise direction incase the magnet 23 is de-energized to a predetermined extent. Ashereinbefore set forth such motion of the armature will cause release ofthe latch 21. The tripping lever 19 will then be free to move rapidly ina. clockwise direction under the influence of spring 35 causing the pin54 to deliver a hammer blow to the latch 26, thereby releasing theactuating arm 5 whereby the latter is free to return, under theinfluence of the centering dog, to the off position (Fig. 1).

From the foregoing description, it will be observed that a comparativelylight armature and operating magnet are required for releasing the latch21. The large amount of energy stored in the spring 35 by rotation ofthe operating arm to the starting position serves to release the mainlatch 26 with certainty even though there may be a very considerabletension on the same due to the bias of the pin 13 into the oif positionby reason of the generally heavy mechanism.

" and large spring forces involved. The arrangement of parts, moreover,is such as to produce a very compact and sturdy structure.

It should be understood thatit is not desired that the invention claimedbe limited to the exact details of construction shown and described forobvious modifications will the running position, means normally held inenergy-stored condition for releasing said holding means with a hammerblow, and an under-voltage armature for releasing said hammer blowmeans.

2. A motor starter having off, starting and running position, movablecontacts, means for moving said contacts into the starting position andthen into the running position, means for holding said contacts in therunning position, means normally held in energy-stored condition forreleasing said holding means with a hammer blow, and means for puttingsaid hammer blow means in energy-stored condition by motion of saidcontacts from off to starting position.

3. A motor starter having off, starting and running positions, movablecontacts, actuating means therefor, means for holding said actuatingmeans in running position, an under-voltage magnet and armature forreleasing said holding means, and means associated with said actuatingmeans for keeping said armature in a position to be held by said magnetwhile said actuating means is in off and starting position and freeingsaid armature when in running position.

4. A motor starter having off, starting and running positions, movablecontacts, actuating means therefor, means for holding said actuatingmeans in running position, means normally held in energy-storedcondition for releasing said holding means with a hammer blow, anunder-voltage magnet and armature for releasing said hammer blow means,and means associated with said actuating means for keeping said armaturein a position to be held by said magnet while said actuating means is inoff and starting positions and freeing said armature when in runningposition.

5. A motor starter, movable contacts, a pivotally mounted actuating armassociated therewith having off, starting and running positions, ashaft, an armature rigidly a sociated with said shaft, a lever rigidlyassociated with said shaft said lever co-operating with said actuatingarm and having a surface substantially concentric with the pivot of saidactuating arm, said lever also having a notch whereby said lever maymove with respect to said actuating arm.

6. In a controller, movable contacts, actuating means for said contacts,a shaft, a latch loosely mounted on said shaft, for holding saidactuating means in circuit closing position, an under-voltage magnet,and an armature for said magnet rigidly mounted on said shaft.

7 In a controller, movable contacts, actuating means for said contacts,a shaft, a latch loosely mounted on said shaft, for holding saidactuating means in circuit closing position, an under-voltage magnet, anarmature for said magnet rigidly mounted on said shaft, and meansreleased by effective movement of said armature for delivering a hamm'erblow to said latch for releasing the same.

8. In a controller, movable contacts, actuating means for said contacts,a shaft, a latch, loosely mounted on said shaft, for holding saidactuating means in circuit closing position, an under-voltage magnet, anarmature for said magnet rigidly mounted on said shaft, a second latchloosely mounted on said shaft, a trip lever operatively disposed withrespect to said first latch held in energy-stored condition by saidsecond latch. and means whereby effective movement of said armaturecauses release of said trip lever.

9. In a controller, movable contacts, a pivotally mounted actuating armfor said contacts, shaft, a latch, loosely mounted on said shaft. forholding said actuating arm in circuit closing position, a trip levermounted concentrically with said actuating arm, a second latch, looselymounted on said shaft, for holding said trip lever in energy-storedcondition, an armature rigidly mounted on said shaft, a lever rigidly associated with said shaft said lever having a surface substantiallyconcentric with and co-operating with a portion of said actuat ing armsaid lever also having a notch whereby said lever may move with respectto said actuating arm, and means whereby effective movement of saidarmature releases said second latch.

10. In a motor starter, movable contacts, a pivotally mounted actuatingmember associated therewith having ofi', starting, and runningpositions, a shaft, an armature rigidly associated with said shaft, anoperating member for said shaft cooperating with said actuating member,one of said members having a surface substantially concentric with thepivot of said actuating memher and a notch whereby said members may movewith respect to each other so as to cause actuation of said armature.

11. In a controller, movable contacts, actuating means for saidcontacts, a pivotally mounted latch for holding said actuating means incircuit closing position, an undervoltage magnet, and an armature forsaid magnet pivotally mounted concentrically with said latch and movablerelatively thereto.

12, In a controller, movable contacts, actuating means for saidcontacts, a pivotally mounted latch for holding said actuating means incircuit closing position, an undervoltage magnet, an armature for saidmagnet pivotally mounted concentrically with said latch and movablerelatively thereto, and means released by effective movement of saidarmature for delivering a hammer blow to said latch for releasing thesame.

13. In a controller, movable contacts, actuating means for saidcont-acts having a projection, a latch for engaging said projection forholding said actuating meansin circuit closing position, anunder-voltage magnet, an armature for said magnet, means released byeffective movement of said armature for delivering a hammer blow to saidlatch for'releasing the same, and means operable by said projection formoving said armature into cooperative relation with said magnet.

14. In a controller, movable contacts, pivotally mounted actuating meansfor said contacts, a latch for holding said actuating means in circuitclosing'posit'ion, means, for releasing said latch, pivotally mountedconcentrically with said actuating means, and disposed to be put inenergy-stored condition by movement of said actuating means, a latchpivotally mounted concentrically with said first named latch andextending in the opposite direction, for holding said releasing means inenergy-stored condition,

and means for tripping said second named latch. v

15. In a controller, movable contacts, a pivotally mounted actuatinglever for said contacts, a latch for holding said actuating lever incircuit closing position, a lever, operable to trip said latch, having alost mot-ion connection with said actuating lever, means for biasingsaid trip lever to tripping position, and a latch pivotally mountedconcentrically with said first named latch for'normally restraining saidtrip lever.

-l6. In a controller movable contacts, a pivotally mounted actuatinglever for said contacts, a latch for holding said actuating lever incircuit closing position, a lever, operable to trip said latch, having alost inotionconnection with said actuating lever and pivotally mountedconcentrically therewith, means for biasing said trip lever to trippingposition, and a latch for normally restraining said trip lever.

In testimony whereof, the signature of the inventor is aflixed hereto.

HERBERT W. CHENEY.

